People depend on recommendations: Possibly a larger scene

Runólfur Þórhallsson, Chief of Police at the National Commissioner of Public Protection, says the Civil Defense is responding to the volcanic eruption as it is real.

It is being examined whether the scene of the eruption could be larger than before.

« There is always a lot of uncertainty in these first stages. It is perhaps the biggest challenge for us right now, » says Runólfur in a conversation with mbl.is.

Work to respond to lava flow

He says all the response has gone well. Work is now underway on setting up small routes to respond to lava flow.

« As in terms of firefighting and lava conditioning, it has been done this morning so we are responding to these events as it is realizing. But I reiterate that the uncertainty is enormous and always has been, » says Runólfur.

A total view will be reached after 24 hours.

See if the scene will be bigger

Could we be looking at a bigger scene than before?

« It’s one of the things we are looking at based on the first information this morning, that it was a considerable amount of magma that was in some movement there under the crust.

Wants residents to follow the recommendation

It was evacuating the town this morning and then some residents refused to leave, do you have any messages to those residents?

« I just reiterate what I said this morning, to comply with the evacuations of the Chief of Police in the Suðurnes region.